Agony in the Music
by andriaallen
Summary: What happens one night when magic flows between two women whose outlet for grief is music?
1. Chapter 1

_**I own absolutely nothing other than a creative mind. The characters will be returned to their rightful owner. The two songs that could be listened to are both versions by The Piano Guys; Moonlight, and O Fortuna (Carmina Burana).**_

She sat at the piano, wondering if she even remembered how to play the damn thing. Her long fingers reverently ghosted over the key cover and traced the contours of the instrument. Lifting her hand to her chest and grabbed the hip-length plait that rested over it, the woman tossed it so that it fell down her back. Tonight she was grieving, her best friend and confidant had been killed. Minerva McGonagall wore none of the glamours that she put up to teach. Her raven black hair had no gray, her skin no wrinkles.

Minerva lifted the cover on the grand piano and pressed middle C. She was pleased that it was perfectly tuned, even though her mind told her that someone else in the old castle played as well. Sitting on the bench and making sure it was placed well so she could reach petals and keys without reaching or being cramped, she closed her eyes. The middle aged witch pulled a piece of music from her memory and began to play it. She could have conjured it, but there was point for her brilliant mind that came with a photographic memory.

Her fingers ghosted over the keys at first, almost unfamiliar with the movement after so long. She felt rusty, like an alien to it almost. Over the next minutes she became more confident and began dynamics as they should have been properly applied in the first place. Professor McGonagall did not exist here; there was Minerva, the woman who now had to finish what her now dead best friend had started. Tears flowed over high cheekbones and the music transformed, to become dark for a time of grieving.

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Hermione Granger wanted nothing more than to scream and cry for Dumbledore. He had been a great wizard, and had cared for her best friend, always looking out for him. She slid out of her bed and opened her trunk at the end of the bed, before reaching in and pulling out a case. She grabbed Harry's cloak and tossed it over herself and the case before making her way out of the portrait hole and down the corridors in the transfiguration wing of the school.

When she turned into a hallway she heard the piano, which meant that someone else was playing. As far as she knew she had been the only one who knew about the music room. Hermione approached with caution and opened the silent door to peek in. What she saw nearly brought her to tears. A beautiful woman with the longest plait running down her back was running her fingers over the ivory keys, playing the most heart wrenching music she had ever heard. The song was beautiful and complicated; dark and emotional, the music was perfect for grieving.

Slowly Hermione entered the room and figuring that the woman was too immersed in her music to know that Hermione was there to add to the piece of music she was playing; proceeded to move over a chair and gently place the case with her instrument in it on the floor. She undid the locks and lifted the top to reveal a red velvet lined case with a cello housed in it safely.

She pulled it out and checked her bow to make sure everything was okay to use. Hermione waited for the perfect time to join in. When she felt it she slowly drew the bow over the strings and began a soft melody that added so much to the dark music. Hermione too, closed her eyes and just played with the woman at the piano.

Both women were so lost in the music that they fluidly moved together with the notes. One would change something and without realizing it the other would compensate. The result was a sound worthy of a phoenix song. Not unlike what Fawkes was crying out to the winds of the castle grounds. The sounds created were magical and full of the emotions that all in the castle felt, but would not openly express.

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Music permeated the walls of the ancient building, washing over the grounds. Magic pulsed between the two witches as they played two well known songs alternating over and over again. The anguish felt by all that could hear the music. A fiery glow encased the women as the music continued and when it became as bright as the sun they opened their eyes and both gave pause. Hermione had stopped because Minerva had stopped playing, and Minerva had stopped because Hermione had at some point joined her in playing the music. Minerva turned her head towards the breathing that she could hear now and saw Hermione looking back at her with tears in her eyes.

Love flowed between them, each understanding the significance of what the magic had done, Fawkes had given his blessing. Brown eyes met vibrant green and both nodded, returning concentration to their respective instruments.

Both began to play notes and the music permeated the castle all over again. This time people began to wake, hearing the anguish and the hope that was poured into the notes. A song that entered every soul within hearing range and refused to leave as one by one people moved to the windows or out into the corridors to watch the sky as Fawkes sang for the loss, as Minerva and Hermione played for the loss, but infused the dark music with a glimmer of hope. Everything would play out as it was supposed to. The war had been raging behind closed doors, a war that had now been brought out in the open.

Tears fell from unsuspecting eyes as the music washed over the grounds. People watched as the moonlight lit up the grounds, clouds giving way to a cleared and star filled sky. After a while, teachers pulled themselves out of the music and began people who had been injured in the battle and others began moving to the Great Hall. No one felt the need to be alone again and people settled into the sleeping bags and bean bags that had been conjured. Groups huddled together and grieved for lost ones and silently, everyone acknowledged that no more sleeping would be done tonight. The players would play music till morning, respecting the vigil of the great man that had brought them all together as one unit against a powerful enemy.


	2. Chapter 2

_**I decided that this should be continued. So I hope that everyone enjoys and a review is appreciated, but not a requirement (I know I'm crazy). **_

The vigil lasted until morning, when the two women playing were too tired to continue playing. Hermione stood and put her cello away and turned to the young woman at the piano. Minerva stood and turned to her student.

"Miss Granger, I was unaware that you played the cello?" Minerva started, not thinking about her appearance. Hermione's eyes bulged and Minerva quickly remembered her glamours.

"Professor, I didn't know it was you!" she squeaked. Minerva smiled at the young witch. "I didn't mean to be out of bed, I just needed to play for a while." She finished lamely.

"Hermione, I know the feeling, and if you would be so kind as to not tell about my glamours I see no reason to penalize you. If you didn't notice Fawkes gave us his blessing and as we have played through the night we should get some sleep." The older witch smiled at the look of relief on her star pupils face. She moved to the younger witch and picked up her case before motioning towards the closed door. Hermione nodded and made her way to the door before turning around and clasping her hands together nervously. Minerva noticed this and raised an eyebrow. "What is it Hermione?" She said, noting in the back of her mind the second use of the young woman's Christian name.

"Err… you don't have your glamour charm on." Hermione pointed out and Minerva's eyes went suddenly wide as she blushed and closed her eyes quickly replacing the charm as she did every day.

"Thank you, I trust you to keep that bit of information to yourself, and perhaps in the future I will tell you about why I don't seem to age." Minerva paused unsure of why she would tell a student about her personal life and life in general. "It is a long story, but I feel that you can be trusted with this." The older woman smiled and placed a hand on the young witch's shoulder and squeezing gently before opening the door. Neither witch expected what was on the other side of the door.

There in the corridor sitting on the floor or standing in the halls were the current residents of Hogwarts. They looked at the two women as they emerged from the room. Minerva and Hermione stopped in the doorway and looked at the people with wide eyes. Even Filch said nothing, as each person had tears in their eyes. Pomona Sprout and Filius Flitwick stepped forward and smiled, realizing who had been playing the music all night long with the help of Fawkes.

"What you both did was absolutely amazing. When was the last time someone was blessed by a Phoenix, let alone two on the same night?" Pomona said. Filius smiled and nodded his head.

"We would have to ask Rowena's portrait. She would know, and probably about the light that emanated from them to." He said thoughtfully. The two musicians looked at each other with raised eyebrows.

"May I ask what that possibly could be? I felt a strong Magic from the blessing but the light?" Hermione said looking at the transfigurations mistress, who nodded in agreement. The two women were puzzled as to what could have caused the light, unless it was their magic directly. Neither witch really cared at this point though it was intriguing, they were both tired.

"Tea, Miss Granger?" Minerva asked her student. Hermione suppressed a yawn and nodded in agreement before following the older witch through the corridors of the ancient castle.

Upon arriving to her private rooms, Minerva found a tea service already sitting on the coffee table and the fire started to stave off the chills of early Spring. They made their way to the table and sat down; Minerva moved to pour the tea for both of them. She handed Hermione her cup plain, just how she liked it, and then fixed her cup as she liked it before sitting back against the back of the couch. Both sank into the fluffiness of the couch and moaned at the good cup of tea. Classes had been staved off until after the funerals.

The women sat in silence for some time before they moved to set their empty cups down and lean back. Hermione had tucked her feet under her and was leaned against the arm of the couch staring into the flames with drooping eyelids. Minerva wasn't doing much better as she copied her pupils sitting stance, minus looking into the fire. She was staring at the cello case. After six years the two women hadn't known the other had played any kind of instrument. Minerva considered the girl a friend. Friends should know these things about each other shouldn't they?

Hermione's thought patterns were following the same lines and as her mentors and she looked at the woman tiredly before smiling. They both fell asleep that way, with small grins wondering how to broach the subjects not talked about between them before.


End file.
